Plain English with Derek Thompson Plain English BEST OF: How to Be Happy and the Science of Cognitive Time Travel
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Dec 2, 2025 
Laurie Santos, a Yale professor and cognitive scientist renowned for her work on happiness, delves into how we can reshape our approach to joy. She discusses cognitive time travel, the balance between present pleasures and future satisfaction, and highlights the transformative power of reframing stress. Laurie also explores how brief social interactions can boost happiness and explains why acting extroverted can enhance well-being. With insights on managing time afluence and the impact of technology on social connections, this conversation offers valuable tools for enhancing joy.
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Happiness Is Cognitive Time Travel
- Human happiness ties to our ability to mentally travel through time, not merely to “be here now.”
- Cognitive time travel enables learning from the past and planning the future, which fuels human progress.
Use Future Self Perspective
- When ruminating, imagine how your future self will view the current worry to gain perspective.
- Use that future vantage to reduce present distress and make better choices now.
Long-Term Future Self Motivates Action
- Writing to a distant future self changes present behavior more than short-term future writing.
- Thinking about yourself decades ahead increases actions that benefit long-term wellbeing, like exercise.
